One Night
by ZamShazam1995
Summary: Artemis gets lonely on Black Manta's ship and leaves to go visit Wally for just one night. Set after Before the Dawn. One-shot. Spitfire


It wasn't the loneliness that was bad on Black Manta's ship. It was the silence. It wasn't the horrible idea that out there, somewhere, you were dead to everyone. It was the silence.

I knew that once Dick's secrets came out, no matter how happy anyone would be to see me, it would be in vain. I knew that it was all crumbling and fast. I knew that once it all came out they would look at me and know that nothing would ever be the same. I betrayed them and there was no going back. There was no regaining their trust.

Lately I was alone. Kaldur was unreachable. I couldn't even tell if he was really with the team after all. Half the time he seemed like he was putting on an act and the other half it seemed like he was just gone. He would sit by himself in his room. He probably knew that unlike me, there was no going back. Everyone mourned me but not him. They hated him. They would never be about to get past that even if they welcomed him back with open arms. That fear would always be there. He was alone, more alone than I was.

I needed to get off the ship. I needed to know that I still had a life out there, that I still had love waiting for me in the end.

I told Kaldur I was going but I'd be back in the morning. He understood, but I saw the sadness in his eyes. I wanted to give him a hug, or sit with him, but he wouldn't allow it. Somewhere inside, he was punishing himself. That I knew.

The waters were calm at sunset. Most couples were inside, soaking up the heat from their radiators, not the cold from the waves. There was not much to hide from as I docked the small cruiser beside the docks. I still had on the glamour charm, just in case anyone saw me. Can't have dead girls just roaming the streets.

I wanted to visit Dick. He of all people needed a hug. He worked around the clock, doing what he thought was best. But he, worst of all, would get the brunt of the team's anger. It seemed sometimes that in his attempts to not be the Batman, be inadvertently became the Batman. I still saw him as a little kid, and he didn't need all this pressure thrust upon him. He had no home, no parents. God knows that Bruce was never much of the 'Dad' figure, but then again who am I to judge? But he was not my focus for the night, no I came just to see Wally.

I was able to get a cab into town easily. And driving through the old streets had so much familiarity in it. The town around the mountain had been my home for so long. I had grown up there, and when I was done, Wally and I left to live our lives.

College was not any easier than crime fighting. But living with Wally, and not having to fear my life was better. But through the whole time, there was always a part of me that missed the excitement and the thrill. That was why I was so eager to join in when Dick told me the plan. I wanted to help, I felt a need to. But mostly, I missed it. Wally knew, that's why he didn't want me to go so badly. He knew that I craved the thrill, but he also knew that this mission was the most dangerous one yet, and had the most potential for loosing me.

I don't know why I needed to see him now. I guess a part of me was tired being cooped up in the ship. More, a part of me was losing hope. I was losing hope that this mission would prove to be useless and that something would happen. I didn't want to miss out on seeing him.

I opened the door into our apartment and half expected it to be full of trash. I was almost right. Pizza boxes littered the coffee tables and candy wrappers were tossed nonchalantly onto counters that I spent ages cleaning. Well, that was Wally for you.

"Wally?" I made my way inside, shutting the door behind me. I half expected to find him asleep on the floor, God knows he couldn't function without me.

Suddenly I felt myself being tackled. I felt flat onto my stomach on the floor, with one arm pinned behind me. From the new vantage point I could see all of the empty bags of chips tossed under the couch.

"You got faster." I grunted as the pain didn't let up. I felt the grip on my arm loosen after a moment.

"Artemis?" I heard his voice tangled with confusion. It made me laugh as I shook my head. He got off of me and bent a hand down helping me up.

"Hey Baywatch." I smiled up at him. He was beaming until his gaze landed on the glamour charm and his eyes flickered with recognition.

"What's going on? What happened?" He asked, worried.

"Nothing. I just started missing you, and I got kinda sad and I told Kaldur I needed to take a night off from my double life." I smiled up at him as he grinned.

"Why were you sad?" He asked, eyebrows knitting together. I hesitated.

"I don't know. I just started worrying about the mission and everything." His smile faded.

"You know you can stay here, just leave and come here. No one would make you stay there." He said hopefully.

"Wally, I have to. I need to stay now." He nodded. I leaned up and cupped his chin in my palm, kissing him. His arm wrapped around my waist, holding me closer to him. He kissed me back, lips melting to mine. They held heat as if there was an actual, physical spark between us. I rested my other hand on his chest. I had missed him, missed this. This chemistry between us, the heat when we kiss. It was all so much.

I pulled him closer, taking a breath when he broke away. He looked down at me and I smiled, feeling the blush rise in my cheeks.

I whispered, "Now, let's talk about what you have done to my apartment."


End file.
